Mobile devices are capable of storing media and playing the media for enjoyment by the user. Media can be loaded onto the mobile device through manual processes. The media may come from various sources, such as from an on-line site or from a personal computer. However, the user must be aware of what is available from the on-line site or personal computer by manually performing searches of libraries to find the desired media. Furthermore, the user must take the manual steps of connecting the mobile device to the source of the media and then utilizing a manual file transfer method such as a conventional file system copy feature or a synchronization feature.
Because the user must manually connect to the on-line site or personal computer and then manually explore file systems, the user must have direct access to and at least limited control of the source. While connectivity protocols such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® allow for ad hoc and peer-to-peer connectivity, the devices are generally not connected without user intervention and there is no exposure of any information regarding the media that is available from the other devices. Thus, even though the mobile device of the user may come into close proximity to other systems having media items that could be shared with the mobile device, the lack of connectivity and discovery of the media available from the other devices results in the mobile device of the user not benefiting from the media of the surrounding devices.